What's your favorite musical battle in a movie?

September 11, 2018 9:40 AM

There are two musical battle movie scenes that I love: the guitar duel at the end of Crossroads and the Katayanagi Twins battle in Scott Pilgrim. Can you suggest others? More on what I'm looking for inside.

I think what I'm looking for is a musical battle that a) ties directly into the plot of the movie, and b) rocks.

Bonus points if the movie is good (I really like Scott Pilgrim) but that's clearly not necessary (Crossroads) as long as the movie's watchable and the battle hits the right emotional beats -- resolving tension that's built through the movie.

Garnet and Amethyst's battle in Steven Universe (Stronger Than You) fits the bill entirely, except the rocking part -- the music is too subdued. Much as I love that scene, it doesn't really scratch this particular itch.

posted by gurple to Media & Arts (21 answers total)

Response by poster: (argh, I meant Garnet and Jasper's battle, obvs)
posted by gurple at 9:52 AM on September 11, 2018

First thing that comes to mind, though it's only temporarily a battle, is the video of Run DMC version (remix? cover? mashup?) of Aerosmith's "Walk This Way," in which the two bands are on stages that back up to one another, and not only isn't soundproofed, but has very poor construction indeed, and so the acts bleed into one another, first antagonistically, and then collaboratively.
posted by Sunburnt at 9:54 AM on September 11, 2018 [2 favorites]

I never really watched the show, but I love what Glee did with Dream On.
posted by zizzle at 9:59 AM on September 11, 2018 [1 favorite]

Best answer: More rousing than rocking but I think the dueling national anthems in Casablanca. The camera cuts away to Ilsa and the look she gives Victor Laszlo as the French refugees drown out the Germans gives me chills. That scene right there explains Ilsa's decision at the end of the movie.
posted by Constance Mirabella at 10:00 AM on September 11, 2018 [6 favorites]

Climactic rap battle in Eight Mile, surely? ("Clarence's parents have a real good marriage!")
posted by praemunire at 10:00 AM on September 11, 2018 [1 favorite]

Pitch Perfect Riff Off, doesn't resolve the tension, but sets up the eventual resolution of the movie.
posted by the man of twists and turns at 10:04 AM on September 11, 2018 [2 favorites]

How about "Anything You Can Do" from Annie Get Your Gun?
posted by mefireader at 10:26 AM on September 11, 2018 [1 favorite]

Best answer: The last number in School of Rock.
posted by nkknkk at 10:42 AM on September 11, 2018

The escalating feud between Max and Herman in Rushmore set to "A Quick One, While He's Away."
posted by sinfony at 11:03 AM on September 11, 2018

As you’re a Scott Pilgrim fan, have you seen Edgar Wright’s latest, Baby Driver? All the action scenes (car chases and shootouts) are synchronized cleverly to the rocking soundtrack.
posted by ejs at 11:23 AM on September 11, 2018

Dueling banjos in Deliverance?
posted by Cocodrillo at 11:52 AM on September 11, 2018

The "Dancin'" segment from Xanadu: Olivia Newton John and The Tubes in a '40s vs 80s battle composed by John Farrar and choreographed by Kenny Ortega, featuring Gene Kelly and Solid Gold Dancer Darcel Wynne. It's the quintessential 80s musical movie moment.
posted by prinado at 12:03 PM on September 11, 2018

Best answer: Surely you are aware of the rock off challenge in Tenacious D: Pick of Destiny?
posted by General Malaise at 12:05 PM on September 11, 2018

Can a short form exception can be made for the epic Kids in the Hall Bobby Terrance vs. Satan sketch? (Battle segment starts around 1:10.)
posted by Funeral march of an old jawbone at 12:26 PM on September 11, 2018

Best answer: The end of Six String Samurai has an epic, amazing guitar battle.
posted by qxntpqbbbqxl at 1:28 PM on September 11, 2018 [3 favorites]

I hear that Aggretsuko has an epic death metal karaoke battle, but I haven't watched it.

Flight of the Conchords has one but of course it's quite tongue in cheek.

Also tongue in cheek, there's a rap battle in Search for the GameChild.
posted by the antecedent of that pronoun at 4:25 PM on September 11, 2018

I'm not sure if this counts as there isn't a lot of footage of other bands' music, but Bill and Ted battle their evil robot doubles, and a bad guy from the future, to save the fate of the world world with rock 'n' roll at a battle of the bands.
posted by windykites at 5:22 PM on September 11, 2018 [1 favorite]

Two epic piano duels: Tim Roth in "The Legend of 1900" and Billy Dee Williams (yes, really) in a Scott Joplin biopic from the seventies. Both super cheesy, be warned.
posted by daisystomper at 9:36 PM on September 11, 2018

Best answer: Also technically the end of My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks
posted by daisystomper at 9:56 PM on September 11, 2018

The zither fight scene in Kung Fu Hustle is imbalanced--only one side is fighting with music--but it's also great and may fit the bill.
posted by miles per flower at 6:39 AM on September 12, 2018

Literally epic, Zulu in which 150 British soldiers defend an outpost against 4000 Zulu warriors, Men of Harlech vs Zulu battle chant.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 10:18 PM on September 12, 2018